Pavlodar, Kazakhstan, June 15, 2013 – Kazakhstan men’s volleyball team claimed a straight win (25-21, 25-15, 25-18) against Uzbekistan team on day one of the Asian Central Zonal Men's Qualification Tournament for 2014 World Championship.

Nearly 2,500 spectators watched as the match started with a perfect block of Anton Yudin. Uzbekistan team then equalized the score right away and the team pulled ahead with 6-5 score and reached the first technical time-out in 8-6. Kazakhstan players made lots of mistakes. Kazakhstan coach made several substitutions in order to change the situation. It worked out and the first set was won by Kazakhstan at 25-21 with the increased errors of Uzbekistan.

Second set started with a mistake of a Kazakhstan setter Kuznetsov, but the host team played well in combinations. Uzbekistan tried to resist the challenge and reducing difference in points. However, Kazakhstan continued to enlarge the competitive advantage, from 8-5 at the first technical time-out to 16-8 at the second technical time-out. Though Uzbekistan player Sobirov produced some problems through his distinguished service, and the coach called a time out at 14-20 in order to make some change, Kazakhstan did not lose their tension and finished the second set with a 25-18 record. Judging from the way of a play, Kazakhstan had a great advantage in a class.

The third set did not contribute too much to the game. In the middle of the set Uzbekistan reduced the difference in score to minimum 12-11 and teams left the court for the second technical time-out at 16-14 record. But Kazakhstan remained competitive and scored in a row to the end at 25-18.

Kazakhstan will play his second match against Afghanistan on June 16 and on June 15 Uzbekistan will play against Afghanistan. The best of three teams will qualify to the Asian final qualifying round for the 2014 World Championship.

There are eight teams in central zone, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Iran. Excluding Iran, who gets direct qualification by rating, the teams are divided into two pools. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan are in Pool 1, while India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Maldives are in Pool 2, who will struggle in Sri Lanka from July 3rd to 5th for the two passes to qualify to the final Qualification Tournament.

The Asian final qualifying round for the 2014 World Championship will be held from September 3 to 12, 2013 with 16 teams divided into four pools. Only the first place of each pool will qualify to the 2014 World Championship. At present, Iran, China, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand have been qualified to the final round by their rating. Three will come from Central Zone, one from Eastern Zone, two from South-eastern Zone and four from West Zone.